Family History
by perpetualpathology
Summary: Ethan and Cal still aren't talking to each other when the results of their genetic screening arrive. Begrudgingly, Ethan agrees for them to open the envelopes together and the revelation brings them closer than ever before.
**This was the fifth prompt I received for my 100 prompt challenge (I still need more by the way so if you have any ideas I'd love to hear them by review, PM or my forum under the Holby City section called 'General Holby Stuff'!) but is the third one I've written... I will get round to writing for the other prompts soon I hope. Sorry for the delay but I've been focusing on college work recently. I hope you enjoy it :-)**

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 **Summary:** Ethan and Cal still aren't talking to each other when the results of their genetic screening arrive. Begrudgingly, Ethan agrees for them to open the envelopes together and the revelation brings them closer than ever before.

 **5/100**

 **Family History**

 _ **This story has been written for charlottesalt who asked for a story revolving around Cal and Ethan being tested for the gene causing a degenerative disease. Sorry it's a little shorter than my usual oneshots but I couldn't think of anything else to add…**_

It had been quite some weeks that the brothers hadn't been speaking to each other – a short discussion about a patient being the only exception – but Charlie Fairhead had managed to keep some form of communication going between the two of them as he frequently discussed with each of them how they were feeling, explained what he'd heard to the other and taken it from there. It had taken a lot of convincing but finally he had convinced both Cal and Ethan to take a genetic screening test so that they could find out once and for all if they were at risk of developing the same disease as their birth mother. However, Charlie was nowhere to be seen as the brothers arrived at work at the same time and headed straight to the staffroom to get changed into scrubs for their shift.

They changed in complete silence and thankfully their lockers weren't so close that they got in each other's way. Cal pulled his usual grey scrub top over his white base layer and kept his skinny jeans and black trainers whilst Ethan complied with hospital rules and wore both a matching scrub top and bottoms. After shutting his locker, Cal secured his stethoscope around his neck and intended to get on with his shift whilst Ethan was going to make a cup of coffee but something bright caught Cal's attention by the door. He realised the source was an orange envelope in his pigeon hole and there was an identical one in his brother's box.

"Ethan." He said simply.

"What?" The younger brother sighed as he presumed he would be begging for forgiveness once more like Cal had done many times recently only he too stopped in his tracks when he saw the envelopes. "Is that our results?" He questioned as he took the one addressed to himself.

"Well I don't think it's going to tell us we've both won the lottery." Cal replied sarcastically as he placed his envelope on the breakfast bar and sat down on the stool.

"Are you going to open it here?"

"If I don't open it now, I don't think I ever will." He confirmed. "What about you?" He asked as his sibling came over and stood next to him. He was still mad at Cal for keeping the identity of their real mother a secret for such a long time but if now wasn't the time for them to get on, their relationship might as well cease to exist.

"Like you say, no time like the present." Ethan nodded. "Together?"

"Together." Cal answered. The letter would either tell them they did not have the gene and would need no further testing or that they would need to attend an appointment with a specialist in genetic screening – something which possibly prevented them from being told life-changing news by a piece of paper instead of a health professional but would pretty much guaranteed they wouldn't receive good news anyhow.

They were both quick to slide their finger under the seal but paused for a moment to delay pulling out the sheet of paper. After looking into each other's eyes they looked back down and removed the letter from its sleeve, unfolded it and let their eyes take in what was there.

As Cal's heartrate increase with the news he'd just read, he looked up at his brother. The chance of them having the gene was 50/50 and since his letter informed him that he was cleared, he presumed his brother's wouldn't be so positive but he too looked up with a smile.

"I haven't got it." Ethan exclaimed with a grin that he couldn't – and had no reason to – hide. "What about you?"

"Me neither." Cal shook his head in dismay that together, they had overcome the odds. All those sleepless nights over worrying whether it would be him or his brother that would experience psychiatric, movement and/or behavioural problems were pointless. The time that he had spent keeping a secret from his brother as he attempted to protect him was also futile. They both grinned before Cal rose from his seat and they wrapped their arms around one another, patting each other on the back.

"Am I missing something here?" Charlie queried and they pulled apart to find the senior nurse standing in the doorway in jeans and a jumper as he'd just arrived for his shift. The two had been at each other's throats over recent weeks so to find them hugging caused both confusion and a sense of relief that they were talking to each other once again.

"We got our results back." Ethan declared.

"And it's good news for _both_ of you?"

"It is indeed."

"Fantastic, I'm really glad to hear it." Charlie smiled. "So I'm no longer needed as a messenger?"

"No, and I'm sorry for the way I've been treating you Charlie. I was angry at Cal but I've been taking it out on you for no reason." Ethan apologised.

"I'm sorry too–"

"Boys, as long as it's all put behind us I don't care. I'm just glad you two are talking again." Charlie assured them.

"We should organise drinks at Albie's tonight to celebrate." Cal declared.

"Celebrate what? No one else knows what's been going on." Ethan pointed out.

"We could always just tell them the truth."

"It wouldn't tell everyone _all_ of the truth or you'll both get in trouble for treating your own mother." Charlie warned as he headed over to his locker.

"Alright then, just the two of us. We can have some shots, celebrate our future."

"Oh no. No way am I letting you convince me to do shots ever again." Ethan protested as Cal grinned. "I've done them once and I've never been so ill in my life. Honestly, I think is threw up more that night than when I've had food poisoning before." He remarked. "How about we just go out for dinner together?"

"Oh come on, we don't 'go out for dinner together'." Cal mocked. "Takeaway at mine?" He suggested.

"Only if it's Shanghai House Chinese food. And it's your turn to pay."

"Fine." Cal huffed but he stopped rolling his eyes when Connie Beauchamp stormed into the staffroom.

"Where have you two been? Your shift started ten minutes ago." She complained.

"Sorry Ms Beauchamp, it won't happen again." Cal apologised.

"If that were coming from your brother I _might_ have believed that but the number of times I've heard that from you has rendered that excuse invalid Dr Knight." Connie stated. "There's been a serious RTC and we've got three critical patients and two walking wounded coming in. Ethan I want you in resus, Cal I want you in cubicles."

"Yes Ms Beauchamp." They said simultaneously before they squeezed past her in the doorway and hurried off to where they were sent to.

"Is it me or were they actually talking to each other then?" Connie queried.

"Yeah, they've stopped bickering now." Charlie nodded.

"Good. I was _this_ close to banging their heads together." She exclaimed before she turned on her heels and walked towards resus to save some lives.

 **Thank you all for reading! Please leave a review and leave any comments, good or bad, about this oneshot. Hope you all have a great Friday!**


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